where they were greeted by their families. The three security guards, taken hostage on April 12 by Iraqi insurgents appeared in good health.

Mr Stefio's father, Angelo, who has campaigned for the men's release by carrying the Italian tricolour each time he appeared in public, sank to his knees as he embraced the three men in turn.

It was a bittersweet homecoming, however. A fourth hostage, Fabrizio Quattrocchi, was executed after two days by their captors to punish Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi for his refusal to withdraw the 3000-strong Italian military contingent in Iraq. In Falluja yesterday rebels killed 12 members of an Iraqi security force in a mortar attack.

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It was the first time guerillas have attacked General Mohammed Latif's Falluja Brigade since it set out to pacify Iraq's most rebellious town west of Baghdad last month following fierce fighting between US troops and insurgents.